LONDON-&-PARTNERS

Mayor of London Boris Johnson Helps High Growth Firms Set Sights on International Expansion

Fifty of London’s fastest growing companies will join the first cohort
of the Mayor’s
International Business Programme
, a new initiative launched today to
help the capital’s high growth firms break into new international
markets or grow their existing operations overseas.

The programme is led by London & Partners, the Mayor's official
promotional company and part-funded by the European Regional Development
Fund, and supported by industry partners including BDO, KPMG, PA
Consulting Group, Benoy and London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It
is the first programme of its kind, using peer-to-peer mentoring and
private sector backing, to help London companies to scale up and
internationalise.

Companies joining the programme span the technology, life sciences and
urban sectors and include the likes of the transport app Gett, the urban
cycling company Blaze which is backed by Index Ventures and the Branson
family. Other companies joining the programme include Technology Will
Save Us, Kano, Adzuna, Grub Club, Bloom & Wild, Big White Wall and
RealEyes.

The programme, launched by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP, aims
to support 800 high growth companies based in the capital over the next
three years to increase their international business potential.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson MP, said:
“London has a strong
heritage as an international trading city and our position at the centre
of the business world means the city offers the perfect springboard for
companies looking to expand internationally. London’s businesses and
entrepreneurs continue to be at the forefront of innovation and
creativity and I have seen first-hand the demand for their goods and
services across the world. By helping the capital’s businesses become
the next global leaders we will see the creation of more jobs for
Londoners.”

Serial entrepreneur and mentor for the programme, Sherry Coutu CBE
added:
“As London’s technology and creative sectors continue to
grow, we are starting to see a new wave of high growth companies.
International expansion is a key enabler in helping us to produce more
UK businesses of genuine scale. It is important that we draw upon our
existing strengths from the large number of UK companies who are already
international success stories while removing the barriers for the next
generation of rising stars.”

Companies joining the Mayor’s International Business Programme will get
bespoke advice and mentoring from some of the world's most recognised
and celebrated businesses leaders from across North America, Europe and
Asia including Sarah Wood, Co-Founder of Unruly and Kathryn Parsons,
Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Decoded and Nilesh Gopali, Country Head, India,
cloudBuy.

Commenting on their reasons for joining the programme, Bethany Koby
CEO and co-founder of Hackney education technology start-up Technology
Will Save Us said:
“Being based in London has given us access to an
incredible community of ambitious entrepreneurs who’ve been instrumental
to our growth in the UK and internationally. There are more and more
businesses focused on the importance of tech skills for young people and
who are excited about making and coding as a way to unleash their
potential. I'm not sure there has ever been a more exciting time to be
building a learning-focused organisation in the UK, and we are thrilled
to be leading the charge and championing EdTech in this field.”

28 per cent of London-based SMEs are currently trading internationally
(importing or exporting) according to recent research conducted by KPMG
Small Business Accounting. However, more than 40 per cent say they aim
to be doing so within the next five years.1

Exports from London are a key driver of the capital’s economy. Current
estimates put the value of London’s exports at £139.9 billion a year, up
from £60 billion a decade ago2
and the capital is home to
more than a quarter (25.5%) of all companies in the UK that are exporting3
.

Gordon Innes, CEO London & Partners said: “
London’s
innovations in technology and life sciences are gaining worldwide
recognition and the city has already produced global pioneers in areas
such as fintech and digital health. Drawing on the expertise of our
business partners and entrepreneur networks, we have designed a bespoke
programme to help London's growth heroes meet their global ambitions.”

Separate research from KPMG, found that 47 per cent of global CEOs are
looking to invest further into geographic expansion outside of their
home countries. The report surveying 1200 chief executives of businesses
across 10 countries, also found that over half of UK CEOs (58 per cent)
said that global economic growth is a leading issue impacting their
companies today4
.

Kevin Smith, London Chairman at KPMG said:
"Doing business in
international markets is absolutely vital for any small enterprise
looking to grow but where to start and how to find out what
opportunities are out there is often the biggest barrier for business
owners. KPMG is delighted to support the Mayor in his International
Business Programme helping start-up businesses in London by offering
advice on how to export, connections abroad and access to opportunities
to build confidence and sales. We believe we have a role to play in
helping to make this journey as seamless as possible for the small
business owner with big ambitions."

Kim Hayward, International Liaison Partner at BDO, said:
“London
is one of the command centres for the international economy but we
cannot take its pre-eminence as a truly global city for granted. One of
the crucial areas for development is around helping London’s businesses
expand abroad - especially its highly ambitious and entrepreneurial
mid-market businesses. That’s why schemes like the Mayor’s International
Business Programme are so important and will help businesses on the
journey from strong domestic scale-ups to successful exporters to
international businesses.”

Colin Stanbridge, chief executive of London Chamber of Commerce and
Industry:
“LCCI has a long and rich history of delivering trade
support and several missions every year as part of an international
network of chambers, and we know that supporting SMEs with exporting is
crucial to help them grow their business overseas. LCCI is delighted to
join the Mayor’s International Business Programme and we look forward to
supporting the Programme in delivering events and missions.”

Colm Reilly, leads PA Consulting Group’s economic development service
said: “
It is not enough to talk about internationalisation. We are
now in a world where specific Global Supply Chains are increasing in
value faster than GDP in all developed countries. The International
Business Programme is about targeting those supply chains, indentifying
the entry points and allowing the right SMEs to scale quickly by being
part of this programme. The Mayor has created this programme to achieve
real and tangible outcomes for business and we are delighted to have
this platform.”

Tom Cartledge, Global Director at Benoy commented:
"Benoy is
proud to be a part of the Mayor's International Business Programme and
is delighted to able to share its global experience with companies
taking their first and formative steps on their international journey.
Working in partnership with the Programme, Benoy is looking forward to
encouraging and supporting British Business in its endeavours in the
international marketplace."